Saturday, 6 February 2010

The safari was up and out early on Patch 1 today. Frank has no concept of weekend lie-ins! When he's up he's up and he's gotta go out. Only just 6 O'clock and frosty but for the first time this early there was birdsong in the moonlight. A Blackbird and Robin were singing nearby in the street . On the patch a Song Thrush was giving it non-stop welly from a small patch of scrub in the rough bottom field. The darkness of the patch was still quiet except for a couple of Robins singing on the roadside in the light from the streetlamps. Even at that time of the morning on a Saturday standing quietly in the middle of the park we struggled to hear a second Song Thrush and a Mistle Thrush in the distance over the noise of the (seemingly) sparse traffic and trains being shunted around on the not too distant railway line.
The Magpies of Magpie Wood were just beginning to stir, cackling and rattling as we walked beneath them. Very difficult to count them in the darkness and standing still under the trees upsets them and they start hopping around all over each other. But a reasonable guesstimate would be about 35 - 40. There was relief all round when we saw that the Peregrine was back.
We won't mention the footy - not good and a league place lost - a good job most of the other teams close behind us had a bad day too. Teams above widened the gap unfortunately. They really need a win now to get their confidence back and some form going again. Damned unlucky with a beltin' shot smashing in to the woodwork again.
Where to next? Off to the marshes of the South side tomorrow, but if it's foggy like this morning we'll struggle to see anything at all!
In the meantime let us know how your outback team fared today...better than 'Pool I hope.

1 comment:

Warren Baker said...

Goldcrests seem to of had a bad time in the recmt frosts Dave. None seen today (sun). Very unusual.